World War I

War on land & Trench warfare

The Schlieffen Plan This was Germany’s plan for a two-front war. They would invade Belgium, then France to capture its capital city, Paris. Once this was accomplished they would invade Russia. But by August of 1914, and 35km away from Paris, German troops were exhausted. France and Britain rallied to push them back into Northern France, where both sides dug a vast network of trenches. Between the trenches lay no man’s land. By Christmas of 1914, the Western front was locked in a stalemate.

Western Front Stalemate Germany failed to achieve a knock-out blow against France Both sides evenly matched Lousy generals on both sides (more men, more artillery, more machine guns) *Britain generals finally used tanks intelligently and used a massed tank attack versus scattered along the front

The soldiers were suited up in gear almost identical to the British army. It would soon be discovered that the quality of uniforms was sorely lacking. The boots were often compared to cardboard when soaked with mud.

The source of initial Canadian pride was the infamous Ross Rifle The source of initial Canadian pride was the infamous Ross Rifle. This Canadian creation was supposed to rival the British Lee-Enfield. However, once on the battlegrounds the rifle would jam with mud and water and was better used as a club than a gun.

Sir Charles Ross

Attrition Military engagement in which neither side has any tactical advantage so that the only result of the fighting is the loss of men and material on both sides. Turns into a battle of who can hang on the longest

Both back in Canada and overseas food and other materials were rationed. Things like sugar, butter and the like all became precious commodities. While serving time at the front, meals consisted of biscuits and bully-beef (similar to Spam) Wives and families of soldiers would send care packages to their loved ones and tried to include some tasty treats. Packages often didn’t make it to the men however.

The excitement of going to war faded fast The excitement of going to war faded fast. The Great War was not full of glorious moments of action rather long hours spent waiting in the rain filled trenches.

Conditions in the War Unlike previous wars, WWI was fought in the trenches. Both sides would dig into the ground for shelter and attack by gunfire from there. When an assault occurred, the troops would “go over the top” and run across the area between both sides’ trenches or “no man’s land”

Life in the Trenches No soldier could have been prepared for the conditions of the trenches. They were cold and damp in the winter, muddy and overrun by rats. Soldiers clothes were infested with lice, and they often developed trench foot (a painful condition where the soldiers feet became swollen and turned black)

I've a Little Wet Home in a Trench   I've a little wet home in a trench Where the rainstorms continually drench, There's a dead cow close by With her feet in towards the sky And she gives off a terrible stench.   Underneath, in the place of a floor, There's a mass of wet mud and some straw, But with shells dropping there, There's no place to compare, With my little wet home in the trench.

In fact it was the rain that caused some of the most horrific conditions of the war………

Soldiers’ feet would actually start to rot from being constantly wet Long hours in the mud and rain with poor quality boots led to a condition called “trench foot” Soldiers’ feet would actually start to rot from being constantly wet

Routine checks took place to keep an eye out for signs of trench foot Routine checks took place to keep an eye out for signs of trench foot. When a comrade fell, it was his boots that became the most coveted of his items. Good boots were a precious item.

Rotting feet werent the only thing hard about trench life Rotting feet werent the only thing hard about trench life. The men were constantly covered in lice, so much so that they wouldnt even bother being de-loused on their off days because they would just get them again as soon as they were back at the front.

Two types of rats became constant inhabitants of the trenches, black and brown.

It was the brown rat that became the nemesis of the soldiers It was the brown rat that became the nemesis of the soldiers. These creatures grew to the size of large cats because they were so gorged on the meat of dead bodies. In fact, they became so aggressive that they would go after soldiers when they were sleeping and take big chunks out of them.

Rotting bodies were the perfect food for the rats Rotting bodies were the perfect food for the rats. They always started with eyes.

No Man’s Land The land in between both sides trenches. A wasteland of corpses, barbed wire, and mud Whenever possible, both sides filled this land with barbed wire to slow down any rapid advances by the enemy. The machine gun and the new long-range rifles made movement in this area almost impossible.

The spaces between the enemies’ trenches were always filled with sharp barbed wire, explosives, and mud. The usual rotation was three days at the front (in the trenches), three days back at camp, and three days off. This was the official schedule, however men ended up in the trenches for weeks at a time

"[the bodies] we could not get from the German wire continued to swell "[the bodies] we could not get from the German wire continued to swell ... the color of the dead faces changed from white to yellow-gray, to red, to purple, to green to black."

Trenches: A recap Trenches were stinking cesspools, and often had rats Clothes would become infested with lice Trench foot – swollen black feet, amputation Seriously injured were left to die in “no man’s land” Many survivors were left in “shell shock” – uncontrollable shaking Trench Warfare: Shell Shock: Shell Shock 2

Overall, WWI was a brutal and shocking experience for those involved Overall, WWI was a brutal and shocking experience for those involved. They came back disheartened, wounded, and shell-shocked – all for only a few hundred kilometers of land

The War Overseas Both the Triple Alliance and The Triple Entente’s war plans were based on gaining a quick victory. This was not to be. Canada received the call to arms on August 4, 1914 when Britain joined the war. By the time Canadian’s sailed for Europe in October, the French alone had lost ½ a million soldiers, and the Germans had captured France’s richest industrial region. By November the French and English were locked in combat on the Western Front against German forces in trenches that ran from Switzerland, through France and a corner of Belgium, to the English Channel.

THE BATTLES

Presentations (Counterpoints pp 30-32) There are battles important in Canadian history: First and Second Battle of Marne Second Battle of Ypres Battle of Jutland * water * Battle of the Somme Battle of Vimy Ridge Battle Verdun Passchendaele, (Counterpoints pp 30-32) you are to create a poster that explains each battle. I want the (WWWWWH) Visuals you may want to include are maps and pictures of the battles. See Criteria Sheet

The First Battle of Marne (1914) Battle fought between the 5th and the 12th of September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German Army (It stopped the Schliefflen plan from being successful) The battle effectively ended the month long German offensive that opened the war and had reached the outskirts of Paris. The counterattack of six French field armies and one British army along the Marne River forced the German Imperial Army to abandon its push on Paris and retreat northeast, setting the stage for four years of trench warfare on the Western Front.  The battle of the Marne was an immense strategic victory for the Allies, wrecking Germany's bid for a swift victory over France and forcing it into a protracted two-front war

Ypres & the Gas Attack Belgium: April 1915 The first battle for Canadian troops. Chlorine gas is used by the Germans, And 6,000 Canadian soldiers are killed The second battle at Ypres lasted from April to May 1915. It was the first significant battle that Canadians had spearheaded. Ypres marked the first time a colonial force (the Canadians) had pushed back a major European power. The Germans dropped Chlorine Gas onto Allied forces from planes above. *Ypres was the first time that Chlorine gas was used in a battle* Canadians were quick on their feet and used urine to neutralize the chlorine and advance to the German lines stopping German success.

To make matters worse, WWI saw the first ever use of chlorine gas

During one of the battles of Ypres, the Germans unleashed the toxic chemical on the French and Canadian troops. Because of its density it actually lies low to the ground and seeps into the trenches. The French troops fled the battle and left the Canadians to hold the ground. To combat the fumes, the troops soon discovered that urinating on a rag and holding it to their noses would counteract the chlorine. Eventually both sides of the war had the lethal gas technology. Chlorine gas burn

Gas masks were soon invented, but they were very primitive and made even calm, slow breathing extremely difficult

Even with the protection of gas masks, burns were inevitable Even with the protection of gas masks, burns were inevitable. If the gas went into the lungs, the soldier would burn from the inside out and cough up chunks of lung-eventually leading to death. It was a gruesome and painful way to die.

Mustard gas is still used in warfare today Can you think of a current war where this is happening?

Lest we forget……

Battle of Verdun France: February to December 1916 France vs. Germany on Western Front Longest Single battle of WWI (10 months). 540,000 French Casualties, 430,000 German casualties The purpose of this battle was to push the French beyond the breaking point and pressure Britain into a premature offensive. The French did not break down which is a true testament to their courage and capabilities.

Battle of Jutland (1916) The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle fought by the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet (which also included ships and individual personnel from the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Canadian Navy) against the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only full-scale clash of battleships in the war. There was no outright winner as both sides retreated with heavy casualties Did demonstrate the ineffectiveness of the naval fleet. Canada by the end of WWI would grow its naval fleet from 350 sailors to over 3000

The Battle on the Somme France: July- Nov 1916 A British offensive Lasted 4 months. 600,000 dead, including 24,000 Canadians This battle was fought in the summer of 1916 and cost the lives of over 1 million men between both sides. The original intention was to draw troops away from the Battle of Verdun where the Allied forces were attempting to break German lines. The first day of the Somme became the bloodiest day in British human history.

Battle of Vimy Ridge France: April 1917 A major success for Canadian soldiers Canadians, under Canadian command, capture the ridge 3,598 soldiers are killed Fought April 1917, seen to be the deciding moment in Canadian WWI history (This would be where Canada developed an identity). Finally, Canadian troops were under the leadership of Canadian officers who would not allow archaic strategies to slaughter more of our boys. Vimy Ridge was planned for months, while the battle lasted only 5 days. Canadians used the ‘Creeping Barrage’ technique to hold defensive troops at bay while offensive troops moved in. Once the Canadians had taken the ridge the Germans were forced into retreat.

Passchendaele Belgium (close to Ypres): Oct. and Nov. 1917 Canadian soldiers break German defenses. 15,000 soldiers are killed. Passchendaele was the third battle of Ypres in Belgium between the Allies and the Germans. If the Allies could get through Ypres they could breach the German submarine bases that was responsible for shooting down hundreds of allied and commercial ships. Only Allied troops, with a huge Canadian contingent, were able to breech the German Pillboxes because of how ripped apart the earth had been from the fighting. Swamp like conditions killed many forces on both sides.

Second Battle of Marne July/Aug 1918 The Second Battle of the Marne   Battle of Reims (15 July – 6 August 1918) was the last major German Spring Offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. The German attack failed when an Allied counterattack led by French forces and including several hundred tanks overwhelmed the Germans on their right flank, inflicting severe casualties. The German defeat marked the start of the relentless Allied advance which culminated in the Armistice about 100 days later (NOVEMBER 11, 1918) Thus the Second Battle of the Marne can be considered as the beginning of the end of the Great War.

The War on the Eastern Front The Eastern Front was just as difficult. The Russians were suffering devastating losses against the Germans and when Turkey joined Germany in December, it blocked Russia from her supply of arms and equipment.

The Russians Russia managed to cross the eastern borders of Germany earlier than the Germans expected, but were unable to defeat the Germans. They were more effective against the Austro-Hungarians in Galicia, and the Germans were forced to begin a general offensive along the Eastern Front in May of 1915. In 1916 the Russians threatened the German capital of Berlin and the Austro-Hungarian capital of Vienna. The Germans were forced to move troops from Verdun to the Eastern Front. From this point on the Germans would keep constant pressure on the increasingly demoralized Russian army, until Russia withdrew from the war in 1917 under its Communist Revolution.

The United States Russia’s surrender was balanced by the US entering the war. The sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 by a German submarine attack gave President Woodrow Wilson the public support he needed to declare war against the Germans. The real catalyst to the Americans joining the war effort was a secret plan the Germans were hatching with Mexico to support a Mexican invasion of the US if Germany won the war. The US chose not to send troops immediately upon their entrance to the war, however they did act as an arsenal for the allies.

Canadian Contributions Canada’s largest contribution was in land battles. We fought beside France and Britain in many battles, including: St. Julien where casualties reached almost 30%. Ypres (where poison gas was first used). Canadians captured Vimy Ridge. (Easter Sunday - April 9th 1917) This had been a position both the French and the English had failed to secure . The battle of Passchendaele where enemy counterattacks claimed 16,000 of the 20, 000 that set out the day before. In the last months of the war Canadians spearheaded the final breakthrough of the German lines.

Honoring the Canadians Canada’s outstanding contribution to the War effort allowed Canada a separate place at the peace table at Versailles. Canada was granted a separate signature on the peace document, marking international recognition that Canada was no longer simply an extension of Britain.